Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 1 — page 98: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

88 now, he realized he must make for a settle- ment he reckoned to be twenty miles away. He had seen that his food was scant—he must have another stock to last him to the _railroad thirty miles beyond the settlement. This settlement was isolated from all the world. They would not look for him there, because it was the longest way to the rail- road—and they would assume that he had taken the shortest cut. from the cabin instead of west, he could have shortened the trip to the railroad by forty miles. But he had had, even in insane frenzy after the murder, judgment enough to fol- low out a plan conceived in calmer mo- ments. Yes, he would make for that settle- ment. He could reach it easily by night- fall. Then he took to studying his clothing _ for blood-stains. He brushed the dust off as best he could and looked every garment over carefully. There was not amark. He was thankful for that. There was not a thing about him to suggest the crime— unless— - A great idea came to him. He would meet people in the settlement. He would watch them closely to see whether they found anything strange about his forehead. He could tell by their eyes. If they gazed curi- ously at his brow, there was a stain there— a stain put upon him as a curse by an un- seen hand. He wondered if such things really happened—and then he chuckled at the utter foolishness of the idea. But still he could not wholly convince himself that there was no stain on his fore- head. Oh, well, he wouldn’t worry about it now. He would leave it to the people in the settlement. If fey saw nothing there, it had been, as he thought, a delusion—and _ he need worry no more. As the day went on he took to studying the woods, and the hills, and the birds that flitted like a chirping escort beside his path. In these diversions he banished his crime— and the stain. At midday he ate again, and flung crumbs to a squirrel that boldly came almost to his feet. He had a mind to shoot the animal and spit the flesh for food, but the little thing was so trustful that he let it live. He went on his way, humming, Had he gone south | THE ARGOSY. whistling—and arrived at the settlement just as night swept into the hills. He came, first, to a cabin which set apart from the grouped houses of the settle- ment. A bearded man sat in the doorway, smoking. He could see. him even in the darkness, for there was a light within—and he “ helloed ” when he was still some dis- tance away; the friendly call of an intruder meant to show he came not for evil. The man in the doorway got to-his feet and peered into the darkness. ‘ Hello-o!” he called, and came forward. “T’ve traveled far—and need food and sleep,” Roper said. ‘‘ Can you accommo- date me?” ° The man hesitated. ‘I’ve got money to pay,” Roper added. “Tt ain’t that,” the man said. ‘“‘ We ain’t got no room here—but there’s a store in the settlement where you can get grub; and maybe there’s folks there that can bed you better.’’ ‘But I want a hot supper,” Roper per- sisted. He wanted, more than anything else, to get into the light of the cabin and find what the man would see on his fore- head. “We can give you supper,” the settler agreed. ‘‘ Come on in.” Roper stepped into the interior of the cabin and found a woman and two small children there. Evidently the family had eaten, for the stove was cold and the dishes had been cleared away. “Em,” said the host, and Roper started, for the woman at the other cabin was named Emma. “ Em, here’s.a trav’ler that’s need- in’ a hot supper. Can you fix him up?” ‘““T guess so,” said the woman—and she smiled. Roper unshouldered his pack and set it in a corner, while the children, a boy and girl, stood hand-in-hand and stared in the manner of children to whom strangers were a novelty. Slowly Roper pulled off his slouched hat, the brim of which cast a shadow on his forehead. The forehead lay bare, but he stood some distance from the light—and he noticed nothing unusual in the eyes of the man and the children as they gazed upon him. The woman’s back was turned as she stirred the fire. comicloool CO